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(I'm just pointing this out for the sake of fact. On a personal level, although I've never met Kalaeb, I've only had good encounters with him. I've bought a knife from him and corresponded with him a number of times.)

I've noticed that too. Wonder if it actually helps business? Seems like it'd be better to assume people are intelligent, rather than naive dummies.

I feel as tho his targeted audience is the general public just looking for something better than a department store knife, not experienced folk who eat, sleep, and, breath the cutlery world like most here. That being said, his and his vendors videos, while lacking the expertise one can find here, will leave the commoner thoroughly entertained.

I sympathize with those of you who have had bad experiences, i have had only positive myself. I worked my way from a sur la table knife, up to CKTG, and in turn ended up here to get more knowledge of the topic to get higher quality products. I almost feel as if his site has become the stepping stone people will go through if they "step in it" and indulge in this wonderful obsession.

Me too, and I also sympathise. However, I can't also help but wonder if evil Mark sometimes has a look here and a good chuckle to himself over all the attention he gets.

He may.

But, rest assured, he or his sycophants also definitely look here regularly to see what's being offered and try to compete with what the vendors offer here by offering similar, or nearly identical products or services like the newly offered Hiromoto etching and thinning service by Shaun Fernandez. Kind of like how Mark offered the Beston 500, Bester 1200, Rika 5000 combo after Dave first really praised this combo years ago and sold these stones together (Mark originally pushed Shapton Glass Stones for beginners; see his beginners sharpening videos if they're still around) , and how Mark started selling Fujiwara Teruyasu knives after Jon carried these knives .

So, I hope you'd be fine with running your own business, only to see a direct competitor try and copy exactly what you're doing and trying to offer the same products and services at a lesser cost.

Or, is this kind of business model and strategy something you do already?

But, rest assured, he or his sycophants also definitely look here regularly to see what's being offered and try to compete with what the vendors offer here by offering similar, or nearly identical products or services like the newly offered Hiromoto etching and thinning service by Shaun Fernandez. Kind of like how Mark offered the Beston 500, Bester 1200, Rika 5000 combo after Dave first really praised this combo years ago and sold these stones together (Mark originally pushed Shapton Glass Stones for beginners; see his beginners sharpening videos if they're still around) , and how Mark started selling Fujiwara Teruyasu knives after Jon carried these knives .

So, I hope you'd be fine with running your own business, only to see a direct competitor try and copy exactly what you're doing and trying to offer the same products and services at a lesser cost.

Or, is this kind of business model and strategy something you do already?

You'd kind of have to be an idiot not to look at what is working elsewhere and copy it. Look at every other kind of store, it always works that way.

You'd kind of have to be an idiot not to look at what is working elsewhere and copy it. Look at every other kind of store, it always works that way.

Fair enough. But to do it to a person he openly called a friend in a public forum, who he learned from, and asked for help from, then turned right around and offered the same product and directly undercut the same "friend"?

This is exactly why the vendors now won't give out any information other than the bare minimum.

So, if you ever happen to ask "Why won't [INSERT NAME OF VENDOR] tell me more about [INSERT STONE, KNIFE STEEL, GEOMETRY, PROFILE, ETC.]?" you can just answer the question with your own response.

AJ, what the hell are you talking about? I sure hope that you're not stirring the pot....again.

Damn.

I'm just saying nice to not see KKF members attacking each other. People are able to say they've had a positive experience or a negative experience and nobody's making any personal attacks. That's new and nice to see.

But I guess I spoke too soon. Way to take my positive observation about the forum and make me out to be a jerk.